Workout of the Day

Oct 31

The (Re)Birth of Cool

I have a little confession: I’m really into fitness. Like, really, into. Kind of weird, right? “You’re into fitness? You mean sweating and stuff?” Sure. The craft, the science, the application, the practice, the mindset, the theory -- the works. I really do get a little giddy inside. Of course this shouldn’t be too surprising given my career and hobbies. But the thing is, somewhere along the way, we (collectively, as a society) decided that it’s not cool to be really into things. We decided, or at least collectively agreed, that the enthusiasm that comes from sincere passion is weird, and that it’s far more attractive and cool to be casual, unmoved, and indifferent. Popular culture is a perfect example: James Bond would be a very different character if he were really into old trains, or if he was openly enthusiastic about oil painting. Ross from “Friends” and Leonard from “Big Bang Theory,” on the other hand, play the characteristically “uncool” geek caricature, and are obsessive and enthusiastic about dinosaurs and Star Trek respectively.

But while obsession, passion, and enthusiasm may not earn you any “cool” stripes, they happen to be the qualities that tend to distinguish the greats from the mediocre masses. The greatest musicians, scientists, inventors, educators, and athletes don’t become the greatest in their craft by not really being into it. Their path to greatness is paved by an insatiable thirst for more and better. They are driven by uncontainable passion, not take-it-or-leave-it indifference, and they’re not interested in hiding their excitement or putting on airs of being too cool to care.

I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather live in a world of people who are into the things they do, who are excited and passionate, than a world of people who don’t really care.